Bottle-cleaning brush



Aug. 14, 1928.

E. H. WITTENBERG BOTTLE CLEANING BRUSH Original Filed June 30, 1925 and Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES EDWARD H. WITTENBERG,

OF LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN.

BOTTLE-CLEANING BRUSH.

Application filed June 30, 1925, Serial This invention relates to a brush used for cleaning bottles and one object of the in vention is to provide a brush having a spiral brush carrying rod adapted to be rotated so that the brush which is disposed in the bottle may be turned about its axis and thoroughly clean the bottle, improved means being provided to support the rod with the rod extending into the bottle the proper distance to dispose the brush close to the bottom of the bottle. 1 y

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved type of bearing collar which loosely receives the rod and is adapted to be held in firm engagement with the upper end of the bottle neck. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a hollow bearing formed of sections which may be moved out of operative engagementwith each other 7 so that a pin which passes through the operating rod and is disposed within the hollow bearing may be readily removed from an opening in the rod and transferred to another opening when it is necessary to have the rod extend down: wardly below the collar a different amount in order to properly dispose the brush with respect to the bottom of a bottle to be cleaned. I

Another object of the invention is to so construct this bottle cleaner that the bearing collar may be readily held in engagement with the top of the bottle neck with one hand and an actuating sleeve ,reciprocated upon the rod above the collar with the other hand whereby rotary movement will be imparted to the rod and brush to effect cleaning of the interior of the bottle.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein Figure l is a view showing the improved bottle cleaner partially in side elevation and partially in vertical section;

Figure 2 a 's a transverse sectional view taken through the operating rod beneath the actuating sleeve on the line 2-2 of Fig.1,

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3+3 of Fig. 1 and looking towards the bearing collar.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the cleaner includesa rod 1, a'bearing 2 for the rod, a brush 3 which is connected with the lower end of the rod 1 and an operating sleeve 4 which is slidablyv mounted upon the rod No. 40,578. Renewed January 6, 1928.

above the collar. The rodl is formed from a flat strip of metal which is twisted so that it assumes a spiral formation. Openings 5 are formed in the rod at points in spaced relation to each other longitudinally of the rod, these openings being intended to receive a pin 6 which willbe inserted in a selected one of the openings according to the distance which it is desired to have the rod extend below the collar 2. The brush 3 isof a conventional construction and provided with a shank or stem 7 formed of twisted wire and at its upper end provided with" an eye 8 which extends into the lower end portion of a coupler sleeve 9 and is secured therein by means of a rivet or other suitable fastener 10. The upper end portion of the coupler 9 fits upon the lower end of therod 1 and is secured thereon by means of a fastener pin 11.

In order to operatively support the cleaner with the rod 1 extending into the bottle to be cleaned and the brush in proper relation to the bottom of the bottle, there has been provided the bearing collar which has been referred to in general by the numeral 2. This collar is hollow and includes an upper or outer cup-like section'12 and inner cuplike section 13. The two sections 12 and 13 have their heads 14 and 15 provided with openings 16 and 17 which are of sufiicient size to receive the spiral rod and permit free rotation of the rod. The annular wall 18 of the cup 13 extends upwardly from the head 15 of this cup and engages the under face of the head 14 of the cup 12. The two heads are, therefore, retainedin spaced relation to each other and since the pin 6 is of a diameter which is less than the distance between the heads 14 and 15, the rod will be permitted to rotate without binding action taking place between the pin and the heads of the cups. It should be "further noted that the heads are struck inwardly to provide annular ribs 19 and 20 which are'adapted to be engaged by the extended end portions of the pin and reduce friction between the pin and the heads when the rod is rotated. The annular wall 21 of the upper or outer collar section extends downwardly beyond the head of the inner section so that the extended lower end portion of the outer collar section may fit about the neck of the bottle and serve to prevent the collar from having undue movement transversely of the bottle neck when the cleaner is in use.

\Vhen the-cleaner is in use, the brush 3 is forced through the neck of the bottle into the body portion thereof and the collar rests upon the upper end of the bottle neck with the wall of the collar section 12 fitting about the upper portion of the neck of the bottle. If it is found that the brush does not extend downwardly into the bottle a sufficient distance to engage the bottom thereof or the collar is disposed upon the red at such a distance above its lower end that it can not properly seat upon the top of the bottle neck when the brush is in engagement with the bottom of the bottle, the upper or outer section of the collar is moved upwardly and the inner collar section moved downwardly so that access may be had to the pin. The pin will then be removed and after the rod has been vertically adjusted to properly dispose the brush in the bottle, the pin will be in serted into the opening 5 which is closest to the upper face of the head'15 of the inner collar section when the inner collar section is resting upon the top of the bottle neck. The upper or outer collar section will then be moved downwardly into place and the rod will be supported, as shown in Fig. 1. It will be permitted of a slight vertical movement as the pin is of a diameter which is less than the'distance between the heads of the collar sections. The sleeve 4 which is slidably mounted upon the rod 1 above the collar or bearing 2 is then grasped with one hand while the other hand holds the collar or hearing firmly upon the top of the bottle neck. The sleeve is rec-iprocated upon the rod between the collar and the upper end of the rod and as the ferrule 22 which is secured upon the lower end of the sleeve has a rodreceiving slot 23 which conforms to the contour of the rod in cross section, as shown in Fig. 2, rotary movement will be transmitted to the rod as the sleeve is moved longitudinally thereon. The rotation of the rod and brush will, of course, be first in one direction and then in the opposite direction as the sleeve is reciprocated upon the rod. During downward movement of the sleeve, the pin will rest upon the rib 20 formed upon the head of the inner collar section but when the sleeve is moved upwardly the rod will be elevated a slight amount and the pin will then engage the annular rib formed upon the head of the outer collar section. It will, therefore, be seen that the rod mayturn very freely and that a rapid rotation may be imparted to the rod and brush when the sleeve is reciprocated. The brush may, therefore, very easily and quickly remove dirt from within a bottle.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A bottle cleaner comprising a rotary rod, a brush connected with the lower end of said rod for turning with the same, a hol low collar loose upon said rod and constituting a bearing adapted to rest upon the upper end of a bottle neck, said collar including an inner cup having a head to rest upon the bottle neck and an upstanding wall and an outer cup removable from the inner cup and having a head supported upon the upper edge of the wall of the inner cup and a depending wall extending downwardly about the inner cup, an abutmentcarried by said rod between the heads of said cups and adjustable longitudinally of the rod, and means adapted to impart rotary movementto said rod.

2. A bottle cleaner comprising an actuating rod of a spiral formation, a brush connected with the lower end of said rod for turning with the same, a hollow collar loose upon said rod and constituting a bearing adapted to rest upon the upper end of a bottle neck, said collar being formed of separable upper and lower sections, an abutment carried by said rod within said collar and adapted to rest upon the lower section of the collar and support the rod for rotary movement, and an operating sleeve slidable longitudinally upon the rod above the collar and adapted to impart rotary movement to the rod when moved longitudinally thereof.

3. A bottle cleaner con'iprising an actuating rod of a spiral formation, a brush connected with the lower end of said rod-for turning with the same, a hollow collar loose upon said rod and constituting a bearing adapted to rest upon the upper end of a bottle neck, said collar including an inner cup having a head to rest upon the bottle neck and an upstanding wall and an outer cup removable from the inner cup and having a head supported upon the upper edge of the wall of the inner cup and a depending wall extending downwardly about the inner cup, an abutment removably carried by said rod between the heads of said cups, and operating means slidably mounted upon said rod above said collar and adapted to impart rotary movement to the rod when moved longitudinally thereof.

4. A bottle cleaner comprising an actuating rod of a spiral formation and formed with openings spaced longitudinally of the rod, a brush connected with the lower end of said rod for turning with the same, a hollow collar loose upon said rod and constituting a bearing adapted to rest upon the upper end of a bottle neck, said collar including an inner cup having a head to rest upon the bottle neck and an upstanding wall and an outer cup removable from the inner cup and having a head supported upon the upper edge of the wall of the inner cup and a depending wall extending downwardly about the inner cup and below the same for fitting about the upper portion of a bottle neck, the heads of said cups being provided with inwardly extending annular ribs, 2. pin extending transversely through a selected opening of said rod within the inner cup and adapted to bear against said ribs to limit longitudinal movement of the rod, and op erating means slidable upon the rod above said collar and adapted to rotate the rod fitted in a selected opening of the rod, a

hollow bearing collar fitting loosely upon said rod and adapted to rest upon the upper end of a bottle, said collar being formed of separable sections having heads disposed above and below the pin and spaced from each other a distance greater than the diameter of the pin, and operating means engaging the rod above the collar and adapted to impart rotary movement to the collar.

6. A bottle cleaner comprising an actuating rod formed of a flat strip of material twisted to a spiral formation and having openings spaced from each other longitudinally of the rod, a brush connected with the lower end of said rod, an abutment pin fittedin a selected opening of the rod, a 1101- low bearing collar fitting loosely upon said rod and adapted to rest upon the upper end of a bottle, said collar being formed of separable cup-like sections fitted one into the other and having heads disposed above and below the pin and provided with inwardly extending annular ribs spaced from each other a distance greater than the thickness of the pin and adapted to be engaged thereby to limit vertical movement of the rod and permit free rotation thereof, said i outer cup having its wall extending downwardly beyond the inner cup and adapted to fit about the neck of the bottle to be cleaned, and an operating sleeve slidable upon said rod above said collar and having a ferrule provided with an opening snugly receiving the rod to cause rotation of the rod when the sleeve is moved longitudinally.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature EDWVARD H. WITTENBERG. [L.S.] 

